Reuters Health News Summary

John Sauer bolstered Bayer’s effort to limit the lawsuits and potentially avert billions of dollars in damages, saying the company was correct that the federal law governing pesticides preempts lawsuits that make claims over the products under state law. Bankrupt Genesis Health picks insider bid for its nursing homes Genesis HealthCare said on Monday that an insider bid had won a bankruptcy auction for all of its assets, which would allow the same ownership group to maintain control of the company's nursing homes while using bankruptcy to slash debts and medical malpractice claims.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Bristol Myers must face $6.7 billion lawsuit over delayed cancer drug, US judge rules

A U.S. judge on Monday rejected Bristol Myers Squibb's bid to dismiss a $6.7 billion lawsuit claiming it cheated shareholders of the former Celgene by delaying federal approval for three drugs, including the cancer treatment Breyanzi. While dismissing some claims, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan said the plaintiff, UMB Bank, may pursue some claims on behalf of the shareholders, including for Bristol Myers' alleged breach of contract and failure to act in good faith.

England's resident doctors plan pre-Christmas strikes over pay

Resident doctors in England will stage a five-day strike starting on December 17, timed just before Christmas, citing the government's failure to make a credible offer on jobs and pay, a union representing them said on Monday. The British Medical Association, which has been locked in a months-long dispute with the government on behalf of resident doctors, says the government's 5.4% pay offer does not address years of salary erosion when adjusting for inflation, while the government says the deal is fair and affordable.

US announces zero tariff pharmaceutical deal with Britain

The United States and Britain announced a deal on Monday to secure zero tariffs on British pharmaceutical products and medical technology in return for Britain spending more on medicines and overhauling how it values drugs. Under the agreement, Britain will raise the net price it pays for new U.S. medicines by 25%. In return, UK-made medicines, drug ingredients and medical technology will be exempt from Section 232 sectoral tariffs and any future Section 301 country tariffs.

Trump administration backs Bayer's bid to curb Roundup lawsuits

President Donald Trump's administration urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to take up Bayer's bid to curtail thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer, pushing the group's shares to their highest in almost two years. In a brief filed at the court, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer bolstered Bayer's effort to limit the lawsuits and potentially avert billions of dollars in damages, saying the company was correct that the federal law governing pesticides preempts lawsuits that make claims over the products under state law.

Bankrupt Genesis Health picks insider bid for its nursing homes

Genesis HealthCare said on Monday that an insider bid had won a bankruptcy auction for all of its assets, which would allow the same ownership group to maintain control of the company's nursing homes while using bankruptcy to slash debts and medical malpractice claims. The winning bid was submitted by CPE 88988 LLC, an affiliate of Genesis' private equity owner, Pima Capital Partners, according to court documents filed in bankruptcy court in Dallas. The bid includes $40 million in cash, as well as agreements to assume certain debts and bankruptcy expenses incurred by Genesis.

Spain's confirmed swine fever cases rise to nine

The number of confirmed cases of African swine fever in wild boars in the same area near Barcelona in northeastern Spain rose to nine on Tuesday from two detected previously, with seven animals found dead, the Agriculture Ministry said. The outbreak has prompted the halting of some pork exports.

Janux dives as gaps in prostate cancer study data worry investors

Shares of Janux Therapeutics slumped nearly 50% on Tuesday as investors reacted to limited disclosure in the company's early-stage study update for its prostate cancer treatment. The lead candidate, JANX007, is being developed to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, a form that progresses despite the standard approach of maintaining very low testosterone levels.

EU vets assess Barcelona swine fever outbreak as cases rise to nine

A task force of EU vets began work in Barcelona on Tuesday to help contain an African swine fever outbreak as Spain, one of the world's leading pork exporters, said the number of wild boars found infected with the virus rose to nine.

The experts in virology and risk management will visit the affected area in the Bellaterra municipality northwest of Barcelona to survey the situation, provide advice and make recommendations, a European Commission spokesperson said.

US judge blocks Trump from cutting Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood in 22 states

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's administration from enforcing in 22 states a provision of the Republican's signature tax and domestic policy bill that would deprive Planned Parenthood and local affiliates that perform abortions of Medicaid funding. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston said a group of Democratic state attorneys general who had challenged the provision were likely to succeed in establishing that the law constitutes an unconstitutional retroactive condition on their participation in the Medicaid healthcare program.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)